Quantum Computing for Drug Discovery: Native Plants, Protein Interactions & Biotech AI with Samarth Sandeep, CEO of If and Only If Technologies

What happens when a quantum computing pioneer discovers the hidden wisdom of native plants? Samarth Sandeep, CEO of If and Only If Technologies, shares his unconventional journey from dreaming about seawater-powered cars to revolutionizing protein interactions through quantum algorithms and quantum chemistry.Key Topics: • How native plant ecosystems with lower microplastic content inspire sustainable drug discovery approaches • Why biotech embraces unpredictable LLMs but hesitates on quantum computing—despite quantum’s better-understood computational complexities • QAOA-based protein pruning: Making quantum algorithms work with current hardware limitations • The paradox: How quantum is more practical than people think for drug discovery • Indigenous plant knowledge meets cutting-edge quantum chemistryWhat You’ll Learn: • Practical quantum computing applications in protein folding and molecular interactions • How environmental justice connects to pharmaceutical innovation • Why quantum algorithms outperform traditional methods for specific biotech challenges • Career lessons: From teenage inventor to quantum biotech CEOTimestamps: • 0:00 Cold Open: The garden that changed everything • 2:00 Host Welcome & Episode Preview • 5:00 Samarth’s Journey: From seawater cars to quantum biotech • 12:00 Native plants & microplastics: The environmental connection • 22:00 Deep Dive: Quantum algorithms for protein interactions • 35:00 Quantum vs. LLMs: The biotech industry paradox • 48:00 QAOA protein pruning explained • 58:00 Quantum-selected listener question • 1:04:00 Future of quantum in drug discovery • 1:08:00 Closing thoughts🎧 Ready to explore how environmental stewardship, quantum computing reliability, and protein network discoveries are converging to transform medicine?Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samarth-sandeep-81a02487/Literature mentioned:Aramyan S, McGregor K, Sandeep S, Haczku A. SP-A binding to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein using hybrid quantum and classical in silico modeling and molecular pruning by Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) Based MaxCut with ZDOCK. Frontiers in Immunology. 2022 Sep 13;13:945317.Montanez-Barrera JA, Michielsen K, Neira DE. Evaluating the performance of quantum processing units at large width and depth. arXiv preprint arXiv:2502.06471. 2025 Feb 10.Yan L, Samarth S, Kirk M, Chandler HP. Developing a Proteomic Framework of Oncopathologies for Rare Hematological Malignancies, like T Lymphomas, through Protein-Protein Interactions to Effectively Connect Patients to Real-World Clinical Trials. In American Journal of Hematology 2022 Oct 1 (Vol. 97, pp. S12-S13)., NJ USA: WILEY. P-018.Further Links:Iff Website: https://iff.bioCalifornia Native Garden Foundation Website: cngf.orgThe disclaimer: All chats at entangled health are a co-creation between the guest and myself, and not an official statement from our industries. Guests are here in a personal capacity,  as am I, so everything we share is just our own take, not the official view of any company nor of my employer or any other organization.

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